Between the crunch of chips and the speed of Crash
Course,
time slowly ticking away;
A notification.

“Got my UW decision. Did you guys get yours?”
Dreams I dared to dream,
but feared they may be crushed.
Nevertheless,
“Hey dad, someone got their offer. I’m gonna check.”

The tap of nails hitting keys,
links loading,
heart beating.

Clicking “Freshman application status”
as I had a dozen times before,
subconsciously rehearsing:
“Bruh, it’s still in review”,                                                                                          it loads, my breath
holds tight,

“CONGRATS” in all
caps.

But my mind is blank,
a frozen trance.
The letters, so surreal,
lay in front of me.

As if meaning itself had vanished
My brain, frozen, blank, without color,
then, almost in an instant
With joy and wonder,
I cannot believe what is to be:

I. Am. Admitted.